1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a tow hook hitch assembly and method for securely mounting a hitch assembly to one or both tow hooks provided on the front end of a vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
Four wheel drive vehicles, including pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles, are often provided with a pair of front tow hooks extending through, or just below, the front bumper of the vehicle. In some cases, a pair of rear tow hooks are also provided. Such tow hooks are typically used to pull the vehicle out of rough, muddy, or snowy terrain after the vehicle has become stuck. A chain, cable or strap can be coupled to the tow hooks of the disabled vehicle and extended to another towing vehicle to help pull the disabled vehicle out of such terrain.
In the past, owners of four wheel drive vehicles have often desired to mount a motorized winch to the front of their vehicles. However, the front bumpers equipped by the manufacturer of the vehicle often interfered with the attachment of such winches to the vehicle. Accordingly, the vehicle owner would typically need to replace the original front bumper with a replacement that would accommodate a winch, often at significant expense.
Those skilled in the art have also disclosed the use of such tow hooks for other purposes. For example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,457,733 and 4,457,734, both issued to Hansen, a front hitch assembly is disclosed whereby the front left and right tow hooks of a vehicle are used to releasably mount a center trailer hitch type receiver on the front end of the vehicle. This center receiver can then be used to support a winch, a bicycle rack, or a towing hitch ball. The Hansen front hitch assembly includes an elongated frame member having openings at its ends for receiving the left and right tow hooks of the vehicle. A horizontal surface of the frame member rests upon the upper surfaces of the tow hooks. Left and right threaded bolts are engaged with the frame member at its opposing ends. Each bolt is tightened until the end of the bolt directly contacts the underside of its associated tow hook. In this manner, the bolt effectively pulls the horizontal surface of the frame member downwardly against the upper surface of the tow hook.
The Hansen tow hook attachment method described above suffers from several disadvantages. First, because it is only the end portion of each tightening bolt that actually contacts the lower surface of the tow hook, the tow hook can not be reliably wedged between the horizontal surface of the frame member and the end of the tightening bolt. This is particularly true if vertical loading having a twisting moment is applied to the frame member. Secondly, some of the tow hooks that are provided on such vehicles are made of relatively soft aluminum, and the tightening of the end of Hansen's attachment bolt into an aluminum tow hook will wear away the tow hook. Thirdly, while Hansen's attachment method may limit vertical (i.e., upward and downward) movement of the frame member relative to the tow hook, Hansen's attachment method does not limit lateral rotational movement of the frame member relative to the tow hook. This fact may not present a problems when the frame member is attached to both left and right tow hooks in the manner already described, but it does present a problem if it were desired to attach the frame member to only a single tow hook. The tow hitch assembly disclosed by Hansen must be attached to both tow hooks before it can be used.
Certain Y-shaped towing bars are known in the automotive trade for allowing one vehicle to tow a second vehicle. Examples of such towing bars are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,727,806 to McCoy, at al. and in U.S. Pat. No. 5,147,095 to Duncan. These towing bars are generally attached to a vehicle to be towed by engaging left and right ends of the towing bar with brackets secured to the frame of the vehicle to be towed. However, such towing bars are not generally adapted to engage tow hooks extending from the front end of a truck.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,685,212 to Penlerick, et al. discloses a combination tow hook and base plate system for connecting a tow bar to a towed vehicle having closed-loop tow hooks. A pair of base plate members are positioned below a respective pair of closed-loop tow hooks. The base plate members are connected by a telescoping adjustable cross member. A connector plate is positioned above each of the closed-loop tow hooks, and bolts and mating fastening nuts are used to secure the closed-loop tow hooks between their respective base plate members and connector plates. A spacer is inserted inside each closed-loop tow hook between the respective base plate member and connector plate. A tow bar bracket extends forwardly from each base plate member for receiving a leg of a Y-shaped tow bar. No accommodation is made for open J-shaped tow hooks.
None of the foregoing hitch assemblies provides a secure, non-twisting connection between a vehicle tow hook and the mechanism used to make attachment thereto. In addition, none of the foregoing hitch assemblies is flexible enough to allow for the alternative use of a Y-shaped tow bar or a conventional, center-mounted towing hitch ball.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a tow hitch assembly and method for mounting a tow hitch to a tow hook in a secure and sturdy manner.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a tow hook hitch assembly and method for mounting a tow hitch to either one or two tow hooks provided on a vehicle.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a tow hook hitch assembly which may be used with different types of hooks, including “U” and “J” shaped hooks, and which is-easy to install, and easy to remove.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a tow hitch assembly that achieves a secure, non-twisting connection between a vehicle tow hook and the mechanism used to make attachment thereto.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a tow hitch assembly that is flexible enough to permit the alternative use of a Y-shaped tow bar or a conventional, center-mounted towing hitch ball.
These and other objects of the present invention will become more apparent to those skilled in the art as the description of the present invention proceeds.